Fluent in English, German and French, Kruger has recently distinguished herself in a series of starring roles in notable international films. She recently starred in Richard Shepard’s thriller “The Hunting Party” with Richard Gere and Terrence Howard as well as noted Quebecois director Denys Arcand’s “The Age of Darkness.” In South Africa, Kruger starred alongside Joseph Fiennes and Dennis Haysbert in Bille August’s “Goodbye Bafana,” which recently premiered at the 57th Berlin Film Festival. The film is based on the true story of a white South African racist whose life is profoundly altered by the black prisoner he guarded for 20 years, Nelson Mandela.

Kruger was honored at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival with the Chopard Trophy for Female Revelation of the Year. In May of this year, Kruger served as master of ceremonies at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, welcoming president Stephen Frears and his jury onto the stage of the Palais des Festivals, and hosted the closing ceremonies on May 27th.

Kruger also starred in “The Tiger’s Brigade,” a French film set in 1912 about the exploits of France’s first motorized police brigade, as well as in Agnieszka Holland’s “Copying Beethoven,” which concerned the relationship that developed between Ludwig van Beethoven (Ed Harris) and his copyist (Kruger) as he was completing his Ninth Symphony. “Frankie,” the story of a catwalk model’s decline and fall, premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in August 2005. The film, directed by Fabienne Berthaud, stars Kruger as Frankie, the model who is trying to valiantly forestall the inevitable fall of her modeling career. Kruger also served as a co-producer on this French film.

In 2005, Kruger also starred in “Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas)” for director Christian Clarion. Filmed in Romania, France and Germany in three different languages, “Joyeux Noel” is set during World War I and is based on a true story about a truce reached on Christmas Eve.

Kruger played one half of a famous German opera duo who is reunited with her husband on Christmas Eve in order to sing for the Crown Prince of Germany. She performed the role in her native German language. “Joyeux Noel” received its world premiere at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and was released by Sony Pictures Classics in November 2005. The movie was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language Film, a Golden Globe® Award in the same category, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award, and three Cesar Awards (the French equivalent of the Oscar®).

In addition to “National Treasure” and “Troy,” Kruger was also seen in 2004 opposite Josh Hartnett in the MGM/Lakeshore Entertainment thriller “Wicker Park,” directed by Paul McGuigan. The previous year, she starred for French director Cedric Klapisch in his noir thriller “Ni Pour, Ni Contre.”

Born in Germany, Kruger first studied dance with London’s Royal Ballet. She then moved to Paris to become a model and study acting, achieving international fame in the former while taking classes at the Ecole Fleuron, eventually winning the school’s Classe Libre award for Best Actor. Kruger also lived for many years in New York City.